Terri Ramsey Beavers Adopting a dog is one of the excellent ways to make your life more fun and learn to look after another living being. It’s a lovely practice for teenagers to learn responsibility. Furthermore, it’s a practical way for adults to prepare for more responsibilities in life. If you’ve just gotten out of university and landed your first job, having a companion in your first adult apartment will be a delight. However, before you adopt a puppy, you should know it’ll require work, effort, and dedication. Keep on reading to learn more.
Raising a puppy isn’t cheap
First and foremost, looking after a puppy means investing money in its development and safety. From the initial adopting fee to food supplies, vet checks, and vaccination, to regular grooming and emergency medical interventions, owning a puppy will be costly. You’ll need between $80 and $120 a month to cover toys, food, and preventative medication costs. You’ll need approximately $1200 spare in your bank to cover the adoption fee costs and all the toys, food, and other essentials to wait for the pup when you bring it home. Yearly examination at some of the best Sydney vets can cost up to $500.
Decide what breed is right for you
Now that all the pros and cons have been weighed, and you’re confident about your decision to adopt a puppy, it’s time you chose the breed. Should you have a big or a small dog? Think about the size of your home, whether you have a backyard in your Sydney home or live in an apartment that won’t go well with a large breed. Are you more open to owning an active dog or one that won’t require too much companionship and will be okay on its own? Is shedding going to be a problem for you? Consider all those factors before you choose a specific breed.
Find a reliable vet
A puppy needs proper care and examination to ensure the dog’s healthy development. Once you decide to get a pup, look for reliable veterinarians in Sydney. Ask for recommendations from your friends or look vets up online. When you come to the decision to book the first puppy vaccination, Sydney is the best city with expert vets who offer only highly-rated pet care services including vaccinations. Your pet should get its first vaccine between six and eight weeks of its life. Consult the vet about further treatments and vaccines to know your pup will be healthy and happy.
Puppies require a lot of attention and care
Do you have enough time during the day and night to look after a puppy? Did you know that they wake up several times during the night to relieve their bladder? Prepare to be up every two to three hours each night because puppies cannot hold it in and will start to whine as soon as they realise it’s time to go out. Much like newborn babies, puppies will need your undivided attention, care, and love. A puppy is separated from its mum, so you’ll need to be a loving dog parent and offer cuddles and comfort whenever the dog feels sad and lonely to make the transition period as painless as possible.
Learn all about training and raising a dog
Training a dog is imperative if you want an obedient canine who won’t cause trouble when you take it somewhere. That’s why you must start puppy training as early as possible. Use positive reinforcement to teach the doggo to sit, fetch, and lie down. Pet the dog after every successful activity and offer treats when it deserves them. Teach the dog to alert you when nature calls, so you don’t have to deal with pee and poo mess in your home.
Adopting a puppy will be one of the happiest days of your life. Having a companion to look after and spend time with will make your life more exciting. However, aside from being enjoyable, owning a puppy is also a big responsibility. So, before you adopt one, ensure you’re familiar with the basics. Calculate the costs of owning a dog, look for a reliable veterinarian, decide what the right breed for you is, train the dog and give the pup all your love and attention so it will grow to be a happy doggo.